Look at that Girl
by AmethystDreamer
Summary: Full Title: Would you look at that girl with the lights coming up in her eyes? S: Finn goes on a fieldtrip, Rachel recieves chocolate, Harry Potter premiers, and someone gets a verbal beatdown.


**Title:** would you look at that girl with the lights coming up in her eyes?  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Pairings/Characters:** Finn/Rachel, with appearances by ensemble  
**Warnings:** mild spoilers for back 9, but mostly speculation  
**Word count:** 2332  
**Recipient:** **believeinme_14**  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own "Somebody's Baby", Glee, or "A Girl Like You"  
**Summary:** Finn has never been able to escape the connection between them, and now he needs her to acknowledge it too.  
**A/N:** This is my first time ever doing this, so I really hope **believeinme_14** enjoys it!

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There's this big field trip that all the fifth graders go on in May, to the Allen County Museum. It's a big deal for Finn- usually his mom can't afford for him to go on school trips, but this one is nearby, and she'd been able to pick up some extra shifts, so he is finally able to join the rest of his classmates on what Puck is referring to as "the best way to meet chicks".

Yeah, some of his friends are a little…odd for their ages.

So, Finn is standing in the crowded entry hall with his class, and a bunch of other kids from other elementary schools, and all of the sudden, someone hits him from behind. He turns around swinging, because that is such a Puck thing to do, and he is already a little bit wired from all the excitement.

When he spins around, his fist doesn't hit anything, even though he aims it right at the level where he knows Puck's jaw would be.

And when he sees who bumped into him, he is glad this blushing girl was so short, because his mom had told him hitting girls was never ever okay. And something inside tells him he would have really regretted hitting _this _girl in particular.

"Sorry." She says, cringing slightly. "She pushed me." The girl points to a blonde smirking evilly behind her.

"It's okay." Finn tells her. "My name is Finn."

She smiles. "I'm Rachel Barbara Berry. Barbra is my middle name because I'm Jewish and going to be a big star, just like Barbra Streisand."

Finn doesn't know who Barbra Streisand is, but he nods anyway. "Cool."He doesn't say anything else because he isn't very smart, and he has this funny feeling that Miss Rachel Barbra Berry was very smart, and further more Puck is tugging on his arm, saying it was time to go see the railroad exhibit.

Rachel waves goodbye, and Finn grins, because "meeting chicks" is Puck's thing, but there he was, talking to a pretty chick himself.

For the rest of the fieldtrip, Finn kept an eye out for Rachel, but he didn't see her again.

After that he pretty much forgets about the encounter, because he is an elementary school aged boy, and is also really obtuse when it comes to recognizing the importance of remembering people that he connects with in such a way.

So, when he gets to high school, and he sees the short Rachel Berry who puts a gold star after her name, he doesn't make the connection between her, and the short Rachel Barbra Berry he met on that far off fifth grade field trip (because let's face it, Finn is really only good at making the connection between his growling stomach and being hungry).

In fact, it isn't until Sectionals, when she sings "Don't Rain on My Parade" by, who else, Barbra Streisand that the faint memory stirs in his brain.

"you're Jewish." He announces on the ride home (Ms. Pilsbury took his car, citing legal and germy reasons, and he rode the bus).

"I am." Rachel replies.

She is short with her answer because things have never been the same since the auditorium kiss, Finn being a father, the bowling kiss, Rachel and Puck, and Finn not being a father. But for the first time in a while, when she looks at him tonight, he can see that little spark of…something that so terrifies and delights him.

They are quiet the rest of the bus ride home.

Two weeks later, Finn enters the rehearsal room early, and sees Rachel holding a heart shaped box of chocolates. There is a soft pink color to her cheeks, and he has a sudden and powerful urge to kick the nearest chair over.

Keeping his cool instead, and casually comments, "Those look good. Who're they from?"

Rachel banishes all traces of a smile from her face with that ultra strong willpower he finds so daunting (and admirable). " Jesse, from Vocal Adrenaline. These are a distraction attempt that is doomed to fail." and she holds the box away from her, as though she expects the chocolates to jump out and rip her vocal chords out by their roots (Finn isn't in any way wishing that would happen-but his thoughts have certainly gotten more violent since finding out about Puck and Quinn).

Still, there is a softness to her eyes that disturbs and upsets him, and Finn suddenly really wants to go back to when she looked at him with that softness and didn't get mushy over some stupid chocolates.

Rachel isn't exactly one to get mushy over anything, but over exaggeration is something he's picked up from her. He will just have to trust that she meant it when she had said she wasn't going to let it distract her. Not from Glee, not from him.

Now that he thinks about it, she really had been there for him in a big way the last few months. And he does recall promising to make it up to her one of these days.

So Friday, after a long Glee rehearsal, he goes over to where she's standing in the corner drinking some water. "Hey, Rach." he says casually. "Got any plans for the weekend?"

She looks at him seriously, because no, normal intros into dates do not catch her attention at all. "I suppose I will work on a few myspace videos, with Glee and school, I've been so busy, I'm almost behind schedule."

"Oh." He knows he sounds slightly deflated, because he was really hoping she'd make it just a little easier on him. "Well, the new Harry Potter is out, so maybe Saturday, you and I could go check it out."

His feet are shuffling awkwardly, but that isn't new-she always makes him feel like a little kid.

And his heart beats faster, just a bit, when a tentative smile lights up her face. "That sounds nice. I have been keeping up with the series since I read the first book when I was seven."

He hasn't read any of the books. She's looking at him expectantly, and he suddenly does not know what to say. Should he arrange a time? Offer to pick her up? Pick her up and kiss her until she can't think of that Jesse guy, his talent, and the stupid chocolates?

Luckily,(or you know not, because, really, when have things ever gone well for them?) Mercedes interrupts, "Wizard boy has some pretty fly moves. I haven't seen the movie yet either, have you Kurt?"

Kurt grins, and Finn swears he sees devil horns on the other boy's head, because it was Kurt who told him about how much Rachel likes Harry Potter. "I have not. What do you say we make a day of it?"

Artie joins in, "I'm free around noon."

As the rest of the club approves the plan, Finn is really attempting to reign in his frustrations. Then, he catches Rachel's eyes as she talks rides with Quinn and Brittney, and she looks so happy, and he remembers something she said about Glee being the only place she feels accepted, and he just can't find it in himself to insist she turn down all their friends to have a date with him.

He is much too nice, and maybe this is why Puck's name will be on Drizzle's birth certificate.

Saturday at noon rolls around, and Finn is slightly nervous, arriving early in the hopes of catching Rachel before the entire group comes, and he can no longer speak to her.

To his horror, she is already there-talking to that stupid pretty boy from Vocal Adrenaline.

"Did you enjoy the chocolates I sent you?" Jesse asks in a smooth voice, absolutely dripping with confidence, and Finn is very seriously _this_ close to doing something that would horrify the pacifist Rachel.

The pacifist Rachel, however, has never had a problem beating someone down verbally (must be all those SAT prep classes), and she coolly replies, "Chocolates are a cliché, and I have neither the time nor inclination to swoon over something so unimaginative and average. In addition to that, chocolate contains sugars that are brutal on the vocal chords, and I do not appreciate the sabotage attempt."

Jesse's confidence is shaken (and, oh boy, does Finn know how he feels). "I just.. wanted to do something nice for Valentine's day, it's Monday. And, and, you were so good at Regionals, I saw the tape, and…"

But Rachel doesn't let compliments distract her. "I appreciate the misguided sentiment, if in fact you were honestly attempting to be romantic. Still, I must reiterate the fact that I do not associate with our competition. My loyalties are not divided, so I must ask you to please not send things to my school again, particularly not when they are to be delivered when my focus is most needed."

Finn has no clue what nearly half of that meant, but from the look on Jesse's face, he had a feeling that he was rejected.

And as Rachel walked over to where Finn was standing, with her head high and little skirt twitching, he couldn't even bring himself to sympathize with the guy. He too does not associate with the competition (though after that, he's pretty sure that the other kid is not going to be bothering Rachel again anytime soon).

"Hello, Finn." Her voice is breathy with the excitement she gets after she upstages someone. "How are you?"

He's grinning at her broadly. "I'm fantastic. You?"

"I feel rather fantastic myself."

This might be a moment. Yes, yes, she is coming a little closer, lips so red, and her eyes are closing, and…

"Hi ya'll."

Finn thinks his eye is twitching. Rachel looks disappointed, but smiles anway and greets the new arrivals.

Puck slides over to him, awkwardly. "Bad timing? Sorry about that."

Finn just stares at him, then moves away. He isn't as angry anymore, not in the hot violent way. Now he just feels the cold sting of betrayal.

The movies aren't that crowded, Harry Potter has been out for a few weeks by now, so all 12 Glee members are able to get seats together, six in the fourth row and six directly behind them. He is fortunate to get a seat right next to Rachel. On his other side is Tina, and Artie next to her, wheelchair resting in the especially wide space, that, now that Finn really thought about it, was so that people in wheelchairs didn't have to go up stairs, and their chairs didn't get in anyone's way. Architects are ingenious!

Nobody gets popcorn, so Finn can't use that as an excuse to brush his fingers over hers. The movie is intense and exciting, but he was constantly aware of her shoulder nearly touching his, and he couldn't help but sneak glances at her every so often to see if she was enjoying herself.

At one point, she whispers right in his ear, "Even though Ron and Hermione get together, Harry and Hermione have a large fan base. Fans call them 'Harmony', especially on social fan fiction sites."

He nods, and thinks really hard about the mailman because a dark room and her breath on his ear is a incredibly good combination, which results in an incredibly embarrassing situation.

"If people like them so much, why don't they get together?" He asks.

Rachel turns to him, and her lips are curved in a sad smile. "Sometimes timing isn't right for even the most perfect couples."

Timing had been a major factor this year, he realizes. And now that there really isn't anything in their way, he can't make his feelings known. But he will. He will soon. On Monday. On Valentine's Day. The timing was perfect, for once.

What can he do? Obviously chocolates are out, and he is sure that red roses or any other type of flower would fall into the dreaded cliché category.

He thinks about it the rest of Saturday, and all of Sunday, and finally on Sunday night, he gets it. Music.

Once again, he gets to the rehearsal room before anyone else after school. He hasn't seen Rachel all day, which he was relieved about-he'd never been good at keeping secrets. Also, he doesn't want to think about it, because the more he thinks about it, the more nervous he gets, and this is something he can't run away from.

He calms himself thinking about how much he likes Rachel, and how wonderful the look on her face will be. And when Mr. Shue asks what today's agenda is, he is able to raise his hand, and say without trembling, "I have a song to sing."

Everyone looks at him in surprise, except Rachel, who just smiles, and Mr. Shue gives him the okay, so he stands up and puts the sheet music in front of the piano guy.

"A Girl Like You by Foreigner." He says, and begins:

"So long, I've been looking too hard, I've waiting too long Sometimes I don't know what I will find I only know it's a matter of time When you love someone... When you love someone... It feels so right, so warm and true, I need to know if you feel it too"

As he sings, Rachel's smile widens, and her cheeks turn pink. After he finishes, everyone claps, but he doesn't really notice, preoccupied with the warm color of Rachel's eyes.

"That was for you." He informs her quietly after he sits down.

She giggles. "I thought so."

"Do you want to go bowling again? On a date? Just the two of us this time." It's in a rush, and possibly incomprehensible, but he's sure she understands.

"I'd like that."

(And he still finds it funny that as smooth an operator Puck is, Finn is still the one chatting up the most incredible girl in the world).

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**This was so much fun to write, especially Rachel's rant. I wish this is how it turned out in the show, but I bet Rachel will still give Mr. Jesse St. James a verbal smackdown he won't soon forget. Also, Finn is going to kick his butt if he hurts Rachel :)  
Reviews make my life!**


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